Teen Sensation Steals the Show: Jonathan Anthony Outpaces Olympians at National Games

15-year-old Jonathan Anthony triumphs in the men's 10m pistol event at the 38th National Games, defeating Olympians to clinch gold with a score of 240.7 points. Meanwhile, Olympian Sift Kaur Samra shines in the women's 50m rifle event, bagging gold for Punjab.

In a stunning display of talent and composure, 15-year-old Jonathan Anthony captured the spotlight at the 38th National Games, outshining seasoned Olympians to claim the gold medal in the men's 10m pistol event. The young shooter from Karnataka delivered an impressive 240.7 points, edging out Services' Ravinder Singh with 240.3 and Gurpreet Singh with 220.1, as reported by Olympics.com. The intense final also saw the participation of 2024 Paris Olympic bronze medalist Sarabjot Singh, who fell short at fourth place, scoring 198.4 points.

"This victory means the world to me," Anthony shared with Olympics.com. "Competing against such accomplished athletes only adds to the significance of this win. Today, everything aligned perfectly," the young marksman expressed, reflecting on his remarkable feat.

The path to his gold was paved when Anthony outperformed renowned Olympian Saurab Choudhary during the qualification round. Despite both scoring 578 points with identical inner 10s, Anthony's superior final series secured his advancement. Choudhary, a Tokyo Olympic competitor and decorated athlete with numerous ISSF World Cup accolades, was among the top contenders.

On the women's front, Olympian Sift Kaur Samra of Punjab delivered a spectacular performance in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions, clinching gold with 461.2 points. Silver went to her compatriot Anjum Moudgil with 458.7 points, while Telangana's Surabhi Bhardwaj Rapole took bronze, amassing 448.8 points.

"After the Olympics, this feels like a true comeback for me," Samra remarked. "Continuous training paid off, and winning today is incredibly rewarding. It's special to share this podium with Anjum," she added, celebrating her achievement and camaraderie with fellow shooter Anjum Moudgil. (ANI)